Use the limit functions of the database. These are often located on the left side of the results page, or look in the database's Help menu to discover the limit functions it offers. Possibilities include limiting by date, language, type of article, etc.

Keep a record of which search terms worked and in which databases. This can keep you from repeating your steps.

Did you find an article you really like? Then, read the cited references (a.k.a. bibliography, end notes, footnotes) to find similar articles. This can bias your project by focusing on only one side of an issue so use caution with this method.

Ask for help. Ask a librarian for search tips. Also, use the help screens in the databases for instructions and tips.

If you are using a citation manager (e.g. Endnote or Zotero), just select the appropriate output style. The citation manager should automatically format your citations and bibliography, but don't forget to check it!

Data citation is straightforward in many cases. The citation must include the title, author, date, version, and a persistent identifier (e.g. DOI, Uniform Resource Name, Handle System). Including the checksum or a Universal Numeric Fingerprint is also recommended (allows future researchers to verify data integrity). Refer to your style manual for guidelines on citation formatting.

For more information on data citation visit the ICPSR or DataCite pages.

Citation Software

Try using EndNote or Zotero software to organize your citations and instantly create properly formatted bibliographies. Emory has a site license for EndNote and you can obtain a free copy by downloading the software from Emory's Software Express site (Emory network ID required). Mendeley, Papers, and Citavi are other popular software options.

For help with EndNote or Zotero, visit the Library's Help Guides or sign up for one of the classeswe offer throughout the semester.

If you want to give people the right to share, use, and even build upon a work you’ve created, you should consider publishing it under a Creative Commons license. CC gives you flexibility (for example, you can choose to allow only non-commercial uses) and protects the people who use your work, so they don’t have to worry about copyright infringement, as long as they abide by the conditions you have specified.

If you’re looking for content that you can freely and legally use, there is a giant pool of CC-licensed creativity available to you. There are hundreds of millions of works — from songs and videos to scientific and academic material — available to the public for free and legal use under the terms of our copyright licenses, with more being contributed every day.

If you would like to see what kinds of companies and organizations are using Creative Commons licenses, visit our Who Uses CC? page.

If you would like to learn more about the different CC licenses, visit our licenses page.

Check Peer-Review Status

If the journal itself or the database you searched does not tell you if a journal is peer-reviewed (refereed), Ulrich's Periodicals Directory can help. Search for the journal title (NOT the article title). If the journal is peer-reviewed it will have the "referee" icon next to it.

Emory Writing Center

If you are writing a research paper and need help thinking through your topic or organizing your paper's content, Emory's Writing Center provides thoughtful one-on-one attention and feedback at any stage of the writing process.

Sessions with tutors are available by appointment or during walk-in hours.

IRB at Emory

If you are conducting research that involves "human subjects" then your project might need to go through the IRB process. The Emory IRB website has several resources to help you complete and submit applications, including tutorials, instructional videos, webinars, help clinics, and more. Here are a few helpful pages for general information about requirements and the review process: